Phonograph



April 5, 1938. H. F. M.'GRAMANN 2,112,957

PHONOGRAPH Filed May 7', 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 5, 1938. H. F. M. GRAMANN 2,112,957

PHONOGRAPH Filed May '7, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [N VENZOR Hemn ch E MarGrzmemn A TTORNE) Patented Apr. 1938 PHONOGRAPH Heinrich Max Gramann, Orange; N. J., as-

vilignorto Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated, West Orange, J., a corporation of New Jersey v Application May 7, $35, Serial No. 20,126

6 Claims.

This invention relates to phonographs, and more particularly to phonographs adapted to serve both recording and reproducing functions. While not limited thereto, the invention particulariy contemplates business phonographs of the type primarily adapted for the recordation and reproduction of dictation.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved phonograph readily convertible between conditions appropriate to recordation and reproduction, respectively.

Another object is to safeguard the record and parts of the phonograph, particularly when the latter is adjusted for reproduction, against accill dental damage.

Still another object is the provision of an improved sound conducting system appropriate to the convertible nature of the phonograph.

Other and allied objects will more fully appear from the following description and the appended claims.

In the description hereinafter set forth reference is had to the which:

2 Figure 1 is a partial plan view, partly broken away, of a phonograph according to my invention, the instrument being shown adjusted for recordation;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the same phonograph, taken substantially along the line 2-4 of Figure 1, but with the instrument adjusted for reproduction and illustrating partly in section portions of the carriage and sound box; and

Figure 3 is a view of the sound box portion of the phonograph in the condition of adjustment last above mentioned, together with an illustration of typical sound-dispersing means.

The general details of the phonograph in which my invention has been illustrated are best seen in Figures 1 and 2. Herein appears a base I supported on a cabinet C. The base is provided with suitable end standards, of which the left-hand one appears in Figure 2 as 2, and with an intermediate standard 3. 'Journalled in the standard 3 is a mandrel-shaft l, to which is secured a mandrel 5. The mandrel is adapted to removably support a cylindrical record blank 6, the latter being most conveniently hereinafter referred to as a record," irrespective of the presence or absence of recorded matter thereon. The shaft 4, with mandrel 5 and record 6, is adapted to be rotated by suitable means not herein necessary to show.

u Further in Figures 1 and 2 will be seen two rods accompanying drawings, in

it and 10' disposed parallel to the shaft 4 and supported between the end standards; along which rods is adapted to slide a carriage I I. On

the forward part of the carriage H is mounted a sound-box l2. which is provided with a translating system including recording and reproducing tools or styli as hereinafter set forth. Ordinarily the recording tool, neither tool, or the reproducing tool may be engaged at will with the surface of the record 6 by adjusting an outwardly extending lever 15 to predetermined positions within a slot I6 formed in the top of carriage ll. These positions may be respectively identified as recording, neutral and reproducing positions. In the operation of the phonograph for recordation upon or reproduction from the record 5, the appropriate tool is intended to move longitudinally of the record while the latter is being rotated; accordingly the carriage II is appropriately moved along the rods 10 and 10'. To produce such movement there is provided a feed screw 11 parallel to the carriage supporting rods Ill and i0, journalied to the end standards; on this screw is secured the gear 18 engaging the gear I! secured on' the shaft 4. The feed screw I! is adapted to be engaged by a feed nut 20 supported by the carriage l I, during which engagement the rotation of the feed screw will produce a rightward movement of the carriage as illustrated in Figure 1. The design is such that feed nut 20 engages the feed screw I! at all times when the lever I5 is adjusted to either recording or reproducing positions, though when the lever is adjusted to neutral position the feed nut may be disengaged from the feed screw by means not necessary to be shown in these figures.

A brief description of some or the parts of the sound box may be presented as follows:

Two parallel lugs I06 are provided at the front of the sound box 12, extending downwardly from the main casing l2 of the sound box and slightly spaced on either side of the front and rear center line of the casing. These lugs support a horizontal pivot pin I01. Outside the lugs are pivoted to the pin I01 a pair of arms I08; these arms are secured to a diaphragm casing I09, which will be understood to contain a diaphragm (not shown) suitable for response to and propagation of sound waves through a flanged tube I i0 and the neck 2| hereinafter mentioned. To the diaphragm, in manner suitable for actuation thereby and not necessary to describe in detail, is supported a recording tool mount Iii carrying at its lower extremity the recording tool or stylus iii. Between the lugs I06 there is pivoted to the pin III'I a bracket H2, to which there is in turn pivoted by a generally vertical pivot stud H3 a circular weight H4. To this weight is intermediately pivoted an arm H5 carrying at its lower extremlty the reproducing tool or stylus IIB. During normal operation of the phonograph for reproducing the diaphragm casing I09 is maintained in the illustrated position, wherein the recording tool I H is raised substantially from the surface of record 6; at the same time the weight H4 is permitted to float on its double pivotal support (pin I01 and stud H3) 'and thus to urge downwardly the arm H5. Under these conditions the upper extremity of the arm H5 is engaged and supported by the recordingtool mount III, so that the floating weight II4 causes the reproducing tool H6 to press against the record surface; vibrations of the tool H6 are transmitted by the arm H5 to the tool mount III and therethrough to the diaphragm. During normal operation of the phonograph for recording the diaphragm casing I09 is lowered from the illustrated position so that the recording tool III bears against the record surface. This lowers the upper end of arm H5 and causes the reproducing tool H6 to rise from the record surface, the floating weight II4 thus being permitted to move toward the record surface until there contacts with the latter a smooth, small weight-supporting ball H4 secured to the bottom of the weight.

The assumption of the diaphragm casing I09 and the weight H4 of the outlined. positions is normally controlled by two fingers I I1 and H8, respectively adapted to impinge against and raise a lug I09 secured to the diaphragm casing I09 and a lug II4 secured to the weight H4. These fingers extend outwardly from the hub assembly I5 of the lever I5, which hub assembly surrounds the" lever hub I5; this hub in turn rotativeiy surrounds a cylinder I I which slides along the rod I0and forms a part of the carriage H. When the lever I5 is moved to its most forward or recording position, both fingersJ I1 and H8 assume low positions, disengaging the respective lugs I03 and I I4; when the lever is moved to intermediate or neutral position, both the fingers H1 and H8 impinge upon and raise the respective lugs I09 and H4; and when the lever is moved to its most rearward or reproducing position, finger III maintains lug I03 raised while finger H8 again assumes a low position of disengagement from lug H4, as illustrated in Figure 2. The outlined movements of the fingers I I1 and I I8 by the lever I5 are accomplished by mechanism disposed within the hub assembly I5" and not herein necessary to describe.

Referring to Figure 2 it will be seen that the sound box I2 is provided with a cylindrical neck 2| through which sound waves pass, in recordation to and in reproduction from, lower portions of the sound box-i. e., in recordation inwardly and in reproduction outwardly. Swivellingly mounted with respect to this neck is a coupling member 22 having a central tubular portion 22 fitting about the neck 2 I, and having a cylindrical connecting portion 22" disposed angularly with respect to the portion 22 and acoustically connected therewith by virtue of an orifice 22". To the connecting portion 22" is attached a flexible sound conducting tube 23, at the outer extremity of which is provided a mouth-piece 24, In recordation sound is collected by the mouth-piece 24 and passes therefrom through the flexible tube 23 to the coupling member 22, and therethrough inwardly into the neck 2|. It is possible, in the use of the phonograph for reproduction, to permit the outwardly directed sound waves to pass from the neck 2|, in precisely the reverse of the path just mentioned, to the mouth-piece 24; the mouth-piece then being employed as a sound dispersing means.

It will be appreciated that in the use of the phonograph for many purposes, including that of reproduction of dictation for transcription thereof, the mouth-piece forms a relatively unsatisfactory sound dispersing means. Accordingly one feature of the present invention is an arrangement whereby a set of ear-phones may,

when desired, be conveniently connected with the.

sound-box I2 in such manner as to receive substantially all the sound waves passing outwardly through the neck 2|. Such ear-phones and a fiexible sound conducting tube therefor are illustrated in Figure 3 at 25 and 26 respectively; the arrangement for their connection with the sound-box I2, however, is illustrated in detail in Figure 2.

It will be seen, in Figure 2, that the top of the connecting portion 22" of the coupling member 22 is provided with a boss 21. Extending through the boss 21 and in substantial alignment with the neck 2| is a hole 21, similar in diameter to the internal diameter of the neck 2|. Through the hole 21 and into the neck 2| may be inserted the small tubular portion 3| of an adapter 3|, this portion being preferably dimensioned to provide a good fit with said hole and neck. The adapter 3| has a larger tubular portion 3| interiorly continuous with the smaller portion 3|, and on such larger portion is formed a fluted tube connection 33. The top of the larger portion 3|" is closed, as for example by a knurled screw cap 34. The tube 26 (seen in Figure 3) being conveniently of rubber, is forced on to the connection 33. Thus when the adapter portion 3| is positioned as shownin Figure 2 sound waves passing outwardly through the neck 2| are guided interiorly of the adapter 3| to the tube connection 33, and therethrough and through the tube 26 to the earphones 25.

The adapter 3| is of course inserted in the i1- lustrated position only when the phonograph is employed for reproduction, it being obvious that the portion 3| blocks the sound path between the mouth-piece 24 and the neck 2|. This path is of course automatically cleared by removal of the adapter, but will then be characterized by an objectionable sound leakage unless the hole 21 is closed. Accordingly a cover 28 is provided for this hole and is biased to a normally closed position. The cover 28 may be pivoted to a short arm 29, as at 20, and the arm in turn pivoted to the boss 21 as by a pin 29'. The closing bias for the cover is provided by biasing the arm 23, as illustrated in Figure 2, to clockwise rotation, this being effected by a torsion spring 32 coiled about the pivot pin 29 and having terminals respectively impinging against the coupling member portion 22" and hooked about the arm 29. In Figure 1 the cover 28 is shown in its closed position.

A significant possibility of damage to the record during transcribing operations is guarded against by the present invention, namely, the possibility of the engagement of the recording stylus with the record surface, by accidental movement of the lever I5 to its recording position. Such engagement of the recording stylus, it will be understood would during record rotation be likely to obliterate matter already recorded on the record and which it may be desired to transcribe. Accordingly the adapter 3|, which is inserted in the hole 21' in the coupling member 22 when the phonograph is to be used in connection with transcription as above described, is provided with a curved arm I36 extending rearwardly from the junction of its smaller and larger tubular portions 3i and 31''. This arm is intended to extend partially over the slot ii in carriage ii, and its function is to preclude adjustment of the lever I! to a position forwardly of the neutral position-i. e., to prevent adjustment to recording position. There is conveniently provided on the top of carriage II, to one side of the center of slot IS, a vertical member II". The lever I5 is in its neutral position when parallel with this member Ii", which therefore serves as a guide to adjustment of the lever. The end of the rearwardly extending arm "6 may advantageously be provided with a slight bifurcation I31 which, with the adapter properly in place, will engage the vertical guide member I I". This secures the adapter 3| against rotation in its mounting and prevents consequent misalignment of the arm I36 with respect to the slot it.

While I have illustrated and described my invention in terms of a particular embodiment thereof, it will be understood that-thereby I intend to impose no unnecessary limitation, but rather intend to express the scope of my invention by the following claims.

I claim:- 7

1. In a phonograph, a sound-box including means for recording upon and reproducing from a record; a sound collecting device; means connecting said device with said sound-box and forming a sound conducting passage therebetween; sound dispersing means; and means, connected with said dispersing means and removably insertable into said passage, for substantiaily closing said'passage and providing a sound conducting passage from said sound-box to said dispersing means.

2. In a phonograph, a sound-box including means for recording upon and reproducing from a record, said sound-box being provided with a sound conducting neck; a coupling member having a sound conducting portion inclined to and opening into said neck, said inclined portion being provided with a hole in alignment with said neck; a sound conducting member adapted for insertion through said hole and into substantial engagement with said neck; and sound collecting and sound dispersing means, one of said last\ mentioned means being connected with said inclined portion and the other with said sound conducting member.

3. In a phonograph, a sound-box including means for recording upon and reproducing from a record; a sound collecting device; means connecting said device with said sound-box, forming a sound conducting passage therebetween, and intermediately provided with an aperture leading into said passage; sound dispersing means; a sound conducting member connected with said dispersing means and adapted for insertion through said aperture and into. said passage to connect said sound dispersing means with said sound-box; and aperture closing means biased to close said aperture when said sound conducting member is removed therefrom.

4. In a phonograph, a translating system adapted for cooperation with a record; means for adjusting said system selectively for recordation and reproduction; a sound collecting device; means normally connecting said device with said translating system; sound dispersing means; means, connected with said dispersing means and removably insertable in said connecting means, for connecting said dispersing means with said translating system; and means, operative when said adapter is so inserted, for restricting the possible operative adjustments of said translating system.

5. In a phonograph, a sound-box includin means for recording upon and reproducing from a record; a lever connected with said sound-box and movable to adjust said sound-box selectively for recordation and reproduction; a sound collecting device; means connecting said device with said soundbox and forming a sound conducting passage therebetween; sound dispersing means; an adapter connected with said dispersing means and removably insertable into said passage for connecting said sound-box with said dispersing means; and an arm carried by said adapter and extending, when said adapter is so inserted, into the path of movement of said lever whereby to restrict the possible movement thereof.

6. In a'phonograph, translating means for recording upon and reproducing from a record; a sound collecting device; means operatively con necting said device with said translating means; sound dispersing means; and means, connected with said dispersing means and removably insertable into said connecting means, for connecting said translating means with said dispersing means.

HEINRICH F. MAX GRAMANN. 

